China and India's economic growth continues apace and, ceratainly in China's case, is taking the form of increased miltary clout and strategic reach. Looking at the pattern of the rise and fall of empires, many assume that the star of the US will wane as did those of the Roman and British Empires etc.

Another school of thought sees the US as different from previous giants and postulate that the US will break a centuries old pattern and stay on top, facing new challenges but not challengers as a hyperpower that might have to deal with 'near peers'.

However, they see the US as different because of the demographic energy provided by immigration. Looking at demographic trends, is it not possible to imagine the same 'Western' giant albeit increasinly less Western in nature? In an alternative scenario, could the Esatados Unidos be the giant of the c22? Maybe allied with the Caliphate of Brussels...?????

It's funny, Chirac is starting to talk sense now he's at the end of his presidency. He's now thinking of reducing the rate of tax that business pay. Mmmmmmm should have thought about that over a decade ago but didn't have the balls to do it. Hindsight, it's a funny old thing.

It's funny, Chirac is starting to talk sense now he's at the end of his presidency. He's now thinking of reducing the rate of tax that business pay. Mmmmmmm should have thought about that over a decade ago but didn't have the balls to do it. Hindsight, it's a funny old thing.

Click to expand...

And so is the fact that he won't have to find the money to finance this

JUDITH:
I do feel, Reg, that any Anti-Imperialist group like ours must reflect such a divergence of interests within its power-base.
REG:
Agreed. Francis?
FRANCIS:
Yeah. I think Judith's point of view is very valid, Reg, provided the Movement never forgets that it is the inalienable right of every man--
STAN:
Or woman.
FRANCIS:
Or woman... to rid himself--
STAN:
Or herself.
FRANCIS:
Or herself.
REG:
Agreed.
FRANCIS:
Thank you, brother.
STAN:
Or sister.
FRANCIS:
Or sister. Where was I?
REG:
I think you'd finished.
FRANCIS:
Oh. Right.
REG:
Furthermore, it is the birthright of every man--
STAN:
Or woman.
REG:
Why don't you shut up about women, Stan. You're putting us off.
STAN:
Women have a perfect right to play a part in our movement, Reg.
FRANCIS:
Why are you always on about women, Stan?
STAN:
I want to be one.

REG:
What?
STAN:
I want to be a woman. From now on, I want you all to call me 'Loretta'.
REG:
What?!
LORETTA:
It's my right as a man.

JUDITH:
Well, why do you want to be Loretta, Stan?
LORETTA:
I want to have babies.
REG:
You want to have babies?!
LORETTA:
It's every man's right to have babies if he wants them.
REG:
But... you can't have babies.
LORETTA:
Don't you oppress me.
REG:
I'm not oppressing you, Stan. You haven't got a womb! Where's the foetus going to gestate?! You going to keep it in a box?!
LORETTA:
[crying]
JUDITH:
Here! I-- I've got an idea. Suppose you agree that he can't actually have babies, not having a womb, which is nobody's fault, not even the Romans', but that he can have the right to have babies.
FRANCIS:
Good idea, Judith. We shall fight the oppressors for your right to have babies, brother. Sister. Sorry.
REG:
What's the point?
FRANCIS:
What?
REG:
What's the point of fighting for his right to have babies when he can't have babies?!
FRANCIS:
It is symbolic of our struggle against oppression.
REG:
Symbolic of his struggle against reality.